Controllable hood for wind stackers of grain separators



C. D. MATTIX Feb. 27, 1934.

CONTROLLABLE HOOD FOR WIND STACKERS OF GRAIN SEPARATORS Filed Sept. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Charles D X .Matt

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 27, 1934. Q D MATTlX v 1,948,930

CONTROLLABLE HOOD FOR WIND STACKERS OF GRAIN SEPARATORS Filed Sept. 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR. C balies D. Mattix BY "f Patented Feb. 27, 1934 f 1,948,930

CoN'rRoLLABLE noon Fon WIND STACK- ERs F GRAIN sEPARA'roRs Charles D. Mattix, Beacon, Iowa Application September 8, 1932 Serial No. 632,128

4 Claims. (Cl. 302-10) The principal object of my invention is to the straw, air current, dirt, chaff, and like downprovide a device for the wind stackers of grain wardly onto the forming straw stack. This separators that deposits the straw on the stack condition is very objectionable for two reasons; without the usual down draft of air and dust first, the strong air current which is dirt and s from the wind stacker tube. chaff impregnated seriously affects the stack by 60 A further object of this invention is to proitsforce and therefore makes the proper stackvide a baille hood for the terminal end of`wind ing of the straw by an individual impossible; stacker tubes of grain separators that is manuand seccnd, the dust and chaff leden eil is highly ally adjustable and always under the control of disagreeable to the workman on the stack. I

the operator, regardless of the elevation of the have overcome such objections by providing an 65 stacker tube, air and strawseparating hood that allows the A still further object of my invention is to air and dust t0 pass 0n in the general pointing provide an air and straw separating attachment direction 0f the stacker tube While retaining the for the terminal end of wind stacker tubes that desirable clean Straw and allowing it t0 fall gently is sejpcleaning and non clogging, onto the forming stack Where it maybe properly 70 A still further object of my invention is to built up by the Workmen 0n the stack. provide an air and straw separating device for Referring t0 the drawings, I heVe used the the terminal end of wind stacker tubes that may numeral 10 t0 designate the Wind stacker tube be easily and quickly attached to or detached 0f an Ordinary grain separater. It is t0 the terfrom a wind stacker tube of a grain separator. Ininel end portion 0f this tube that I secure my 75 A still further object of this invention is to device WhichIWill 110W describe.

provide an air and straw separating hood for The numeral 11 designates the inVeIted trough the wind stackers of grain separators that may Derticn 0f the device Open et beth ends. This be quickly placed in an inoperative condition inverted trough portion may be made of any when desired. suitable sheet metal and properly reinforced by 80 A still further object of my invention is to strap iron, and it is pivotally mounted by means provide an air and straw separating hood for of two side bolts 13 on an attaching band 12, the wind stackers of threshing machines that is which is detachably secured to the terminal end economical in manufacture and durable in use. portion of the tube 10 by merely placing the band These and other objects will be apparent to 12 around the tube, as shown in Fig. 3 and tightg5 those skilled in the art. ening the band-tightening bolt 14. By this con- My invention consists in the construction, arstruction, the trough portion l1 is hinged to the rangement and combination of the various parts band 12 and may have its outer or discharge end of the device, whereby the objects contemplated lowered relative to the longitudinal axis ofthe are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, tube l0, as shown in the drawings. A stop 15 90 pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the is located at the lower rear corner of each of accompanying drawings, in which: the two side walls of the trough member capa- Fig. 1 is a side view of my complete device ble of engaging `the rectangular frame secured attached to a wind stacker tube and ready for to and embracing the band l2 and preventing 4,0 use, the elevation of the trough 11 above the gen- 9 5 Fig. 2 is a front end view of my device secured eral longitudinal axis of the tube 10. To detach on a wind stacker tube. the device from a wind stacker tube, it is onl Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the device necessary to loosen the single bolt 14. and more fully illustrates its interior construc- The numeral 16 designates a forwardly and tion. downwardly extending baule portion integrally 100 Fig- 4 iS a Side View 0f the fol-Ward end p0rformed on the top forward end of the trough tion of the device showing the tined grid swung 1l, as shown in Fig. 3. This baffle portion is of upwardly and t0 the reel' i0 en ncleriive DO- minor proportions relative to the trough 11 propsition. er. The numeral 17 designates a bolt rod se- Fig- 5 iS e rear end View 0f the device. cured to the forward upper end of the trough 105 Most all present grain threshing machines portion, as shown in Fig. 2. This bolt rod 17 using wind stacker tubes employ a hood or bill extends completely across the trough and is poon the terminal end of the wind stacker tubes. sitioned in advance and slightly above the for- These common and well known hoods or bill ward marginal edge of the baliie 16.

deflectors are usually impervious and guide all The numeral 18 designates a bar having both 11 ends bent at right angles to rotatably embrace the bolt rod 17. The numeral 19 designates a plurality of spaced apart and slightly curved downwardly extending tines on the bar 18. These plurality of tines when rotated to a position in front of the open forward end of the trough portion completely close the forward end of the trough portion and form the tined grid. The length of the downwardly and slightly inwardly curved tines is such that they terminate a substantial distance below the plane of the lower marginal edges of the trough portion, as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral 20 designates a baffle wall rigidly secured to the upper portions of the tines 19. This baiile wall 20i closes the entire upper forward portion of the trough portion when the tined grid is in a lowered normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, but has its lower marginal edge terminating a substantial distance above the lower plane of the trough. The numeral 21 designates a space opening between the forward marginal edge of the baffle portion 16 and the baffle wall 20 when the tined grid is in a lowered normal position. The numeral 22 designates an arm pivotally secured at its lower end to the central lower end portion of the baffle wall 20. This arm 22 normally extends a substantial distance above the upper plane of the trough portion when the tined grid is in a normal position, as shown in Fig. l, and is prevented from lateral movement when in this position by engaging the forked member 23 secured to the upper central portion of the bafe wall 20. The numeral 24 designates a bracket arm having its secured end bent around the left end portion of the bar 18 that is rotatably mounted on the bolt rod 17. This portion of the bracket arm that is bent around the left end portion of the bar is also rotatably mounted on the bolt rod, as shown in Fig. 2.

The numeral 25 designates a duplicate bracket arm bent around the right end portion of the bar 18 that is rotatably mounted on the bolt rod. This bracket arm 25 is also rotatably mounted o-n the bolt rod in the same manner as the bracket arm 24. Both of these bracket arms 24 and 25 are bent outwardly to the outside of the trough portion and extend substantially downwardly when the tined grid is in a normal position. The numeral 26 designates a coil spring having one end secured to the left side of the trough portion and its other end operatively attached to the free end of the bracket arm 24. The numeral 27 designates a similar coil spring having one end secured to the right side of the trough portion and its other end operatively attached to the free end or" the bracket arm 25. By this arrangement, the coil springs 26 and` 27 will yieldingly hold the tined grid in a lowered normal position. The numeral 28 designates an upright member suitably secured to the rear top of the trough portion. The numeral 29 designates a pulley wheel rotatably mounted to the upper portion of the upright member 28. The numeral 30 designates a control cable engaging the pulley wheel 29 and having its forward end secured to the upper end of the arm 22. The numeral 3l designates a second pulley wheel secured to the upright member 28. The numeral 32 designates a cable embracing the pulley wheel 31 designed to have one end rigidly secured to a non-movable member such as the grain separator or tube 10 at a point in the rear of the inverted trough portion.

When the device. is inloperation the air under pressure, dirt, chai, straw, and like will pass with great force from the wind stacker tube into the inverted trough portion 11. As the trough portion 11 is of substantial length and open at its bottom, the force of this material reaching the forward end of the device will be greatly reduced.

The reason for this is that a substantial amount of the air under pressure may pass freely from the open bottom of the trough while the heavier material such as straw, chaff, dirt, and like, will be carried by momentum to the forward end portion of the device. This action is also encouraged by the diameter of the tube 10 being greater than the height o-f the side Walls of the inverted trough member. Furthermore, the rectangular construction of the inverted trough member tends to flatten and distribute the material discharging from the tube 10. Upon reaching the forward end portion of the device the remaining airf current, chaff, dirt, straw and like will be guided forwardly and slightly downwardly by the baie 16. Much of the straw, dust, chaff, and like will next engage the bale wall 20, which is of impervious material and substantially perpendicular tothe side walls of the inverted trough portion when the tined grid is in a normal position. From engagement withr this baille wall 20-the air under pressure, straw, dirt; chaif, and like will pass downwardlyv and engage the inner sides of the downwardly andl slightly inwardly curved tines 19 of the tined grid- As the tines19 are spaced apart, the tined grid will not beimperv-ious to the air, dust, and-like; which will therefore pass on in the general longitudinal direction of the hood portion Vwithout serious interference. The curved tines 19,- however, will retain the desirable straw from passing through the tined grid and this straw will drop gently downwardly from the tines to the forming stack without the usual air blast. By the tines being curved downwardly and inwardly, they will have more ellect in retaining the desired straw even when the tined gridis moved a substantialrdistance outwardly from its normal position.

By pivotally securing the tined gridY at its upper end a slight distance in the rearY of the plane of the forward side marginal edges of the trough member, the tined grid can movefoutwardlyA a substantial distance before the baffle wall- 20 is swung clear of the forward end of the trough portion. If, for any reason, a-substantial amount of straw engages and clogs on the inner side of the tined grid, the air pressure engaging this mass vwill force the tined grid outwardly against the action of the coil springs 26 and 27, thereby causing the mass of straw to drop downwardly and thereby automatically clean the tined grid. The rectangular construction of the inverted trough portion also aids in eliminating any cloging action in the trough member or on the tines as air passageways are substantially increased in the trough portion by virtue of the additional corner'spaces in the trough portion.- Thespace opening 21 permits both undesirable air and dust to escape upwardly between theY baille-16 and bailie` wall 20;

If the wind stacker' tube 10 is substantially horizontal the trough portion 11 should also-be adjusted tosubstantially a horizontal position. However, as the forming stack increasesV` in height and the tube 10 iselevated it is apparent that the trough portion 11 should beV adjusted accordingly. Other conditions such as Wind'may alsomake it necessary to adjust the` position. of

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the trough portion 11 relative to the tube 10. This may be accomplished easily by tightening or loosening the free end of the cable 32 and then rigidly securing this free end of the cable after the proper adjustment is obtained. By the use of this cable and the adjusting of the trough portion the straw may be deposited directly downwardly on the stack at any point, regardless of the position of the tube 10 or height of the stack.

In normal conditions the cable 30 would be left in a slack condition and the tined grid permitted to seek its own position from the force of the air and straw. If, however, for any reason it is desired to limit the inward swinging movement of the tined grid this cable may be tightened accordingly and fastened.

If it is desired to place my device in an inoperative condition it is merely necessary to pull the cable 30 to the rear. This action will be exerted on the upper end of the arm 22 and will swing the tined grid completely up from in front of the forward end of the trough member and to the top of the trough member, as shown in Fig. 4. This movement of the tined grid will cause the bracket arms 24 and 25 to toggle with the action of the coil springs 26 and 27. With the free ends of the bracket arms 24 and 25 extending upwardly and rearwardly, the coil springs will yieldingly hold the tined grid in an inoperative position above the trough member -until the tined grid is again manually placed in an operative position in front of the trough portion.

From the foregoing, it will readily be seen that I have provided an attachment for the terminal end of wind stacker tubes that separates the desirable straw from the air blast and causes the straw to gently fall to the forming stack. With the straw thus falling on the forming stack without force and without the air blast and dirt, the workman on the stack can easily and properly distribute the straw and build the stack.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved controllable hood for wind stackers of grain separators without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any moded forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a. device of the class described, an inverted trough member open at both ends, a means for securing the rear end of said trough member to the terminal end portion of a tube, a downwardly and forwardly extending baille member in the forward end portion of said trough member, a tined grid in the forward end portion of said trough member, and a baie wall secured to the upper portions of said tined grid normally closing the extreme upper portion of the open forward end of said trough member.

2. In a device of the class described, an inverted trough member open at both ends, a means for securing the rear end of said trough member to the terminal end portion of a tube, a downwardly and forwardly extending bale member in the forward end portion of said trough member, a tined grid in the forward end portion of said trough member, and a baille wall secured to the upper portions of said tined grid normally closing the extreme upper portion of the open forward end of said trough member; said downwardly and forwardly extending baffle member and said bale wall spaced apart to provide a slot opening.

3. In a controllable hood for wind stacker tubes of grain separators, an inverted trough member open at both ends, a means for hinging the rear end portion of said inverted trough member to a wind stacker tube, a tined grid pivotally secured at its upper portion in the forward end portion of said inverted trough member, and a means for pivotally adjusting the inverted trough member relative to the wind stacker tube.

4. In a controllable hood for wind stacker tubes of grain separators, an inverted trough member open at both ends, a means for hinging the rear end portion of said inverted trough member to a wind stacker tube, a downwardly and forwardly extending baie member in the forward end portion of said trough member, a tined grid in the forward end portion of said trough member, a substantially flat baille wall rigidly secured to the upper portions of said tined grid normally closing the extreme upper portion of the open forward end of said trough member, and a cable element for holding said inverted trough member in different positions of its swinging movement relative to said wind stacker tube.

CHARLES D. MATIIX. 

